SCE - Energy Certification System for Buildings

 

Energy assessment to obtain an Energy Certificate (CE)

 

Decree-Law No. 101-D/2020, of December 7, in its current wording, establishes the requirements applicable to buildings to improve their energy performance and regulates the Energy Certification System for Buildings (SCE).

 

The energy assessment details the energy exploitation conditions of a building or fraction,  to identify the different energy vectors and characterizing consumption, and it may include a survey of the characteristics of the surroundings and technical systems, the characterization of use profiles and the quantification, monitoring and dynamic simulation of energy consumption.

 

Building Energy Certification System Technicians

 

Decree-Law n.º 102/2021, of November 19, which established the requirements for access and exercise of the activity of technicians of the Energy Certification System for Buildings and makes the 1st amendment to Decree-Law n.º 101 -D/2020, of December 7, determines in its article 7 the respective competences and activity reserves.

 

Qualified Expert (PQ)

 

The PQ-I and PQ-II, have to:

 

a) Evaluate the energy performance of buildings covered by the ETS, by issuing pre-certificates and energy certificates;

b) Identify and evaluate opportunities and recommendations for improving the energy performance of buildings;

c) Support building owners in the implementation of opportunities and recommendations for improvement referred to in the previous subparagraph;

 

The PQ-II, have to:

 

a) Carry out periodic assessments of the Large Buildings for Commerce and Services (GES);

b) Collect and submit, on the Portal -SCE, information on the annual energy consumption of the GES;

c) Prepare and submit, on the Portal -SCE, of plans to improve the energy performance of GES buildings.

 

Technician responsible for the installation and maintenance of technical systems (TRM)

 

TRM is responsible for monitoring the installation, replacement or updating of technical systems pursuant to articles 10.º, 12.º and 16.º of Decree-Law no. 101-D/2020, of December 7, in its current wording.

 

Energy Management Technician (TGE)

 

The TGE is responsible for preparing the maintenance plan for the technical systems and the energy management of the buildings in accordance with articles 10.º, 11.º and 12.º of Decree-Law n.º 101-D/2020, of 7 December , in its current form.

 

Technical Systems Inspection Technician (TIS)

 

TIS is responsible for carrying out inspections of technical systems pursuant to article 15 of Decree-Law no. 101-D/2020, of December 7, in its current wording.

Energy Assessment in Large Service Buildings (GES)

Energy Performance Improvement Plan for Buildings (PDEE)

 

Under the terms of number 5 of article 12 of Decree-Law no. 101-D/2020, of December 7, in its current wording, GES are required to maintain a minimum level of energy performance under penalty of being subject to the preparation, submission on the SCE Portal and implementation, within a reasonable period, of a Plan for the Improvement of the Energy Performance of Buildings (PDEE), under the terms defined in Order 6476-D/2021, of 1 July.

 

The following are subject to the submission of a PDEE within a maximum period of 180 days after July 1, 2021:

 

a) GES in operation whose energy performance class is lower than C;

b) GES in operation that register, in the immediately preceding calendar year (base year), an energy consumption equal to or greater than 5.5 GWh (EP index), with the exception of consumption of renewable energy with zero greenhouse gas emissions or non-purchased endogenous energy.

 

Except for legally determined exceptions, the GES subject to the PDEE must guarantee, cumulatively, the fulfillment of the following goals:

 

a) Energy class of the building equal to or greater than C;

b) Reduction of at least 4% of the actual primary energy consumption, in relation to the base year; and

c) maintenance or reduction of actual greenhouse gas emissions relative to the base year.

 

Measures without technical or functional constraints and with a simple return period equal to or less than eight years must be included in the PDEE, with mandatory implementation. Upon completion, the obligation to implement a new PDEE must be evaluated and submitted , if applicable, within a maximum period of 180 days.

 

 

Implementation and Monitoring Reports (RIA)

 

The RIA must be prepared by a PQ-II and submitted annually with the objective of monitoring the execution of the PDEE, the first one must be submitted within a maximum period of 90 days.

 

The last report must include the overall balance of the implementation of the measures and the goals achieved, attesting to the energy class through the update or renewal of the energy certificate.